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West Point Men’s Rugby Team Disbands After Cadets Forward Emails Derogatory To Women

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel addresses the United States Military Academy at West Point during the 2015 commencement ceremony on May 25, 2013, in West Point, New York. (Photo by Ramin Talaie/Getty Images)

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WEST POINT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — The U.S. Military Academy men’s rugby team has been temporarily disbanded after cadets forwarded emails that were derogatory to women.

West Point officials confirmed Monday that cadets on the club-level team violated the academy’s conduct codes through the email chain. The 60 cadets were required to complete a rehabilitation program. The roughly 15 seniors on the team were allowed to graduate with the rest of their class last month.

“You must be the generation of leaders that stops it,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said of sexual harassment when addressing West Point graduates last weekend. “This scourge must be stamped out.”

The academy says its rugby investigation didn’t find any evidence of sexual assault or inappropriate pictures of female cadets.

The inquiry was completed in May just as an Army sergeant at West Point was charged with secretly photographing and videotaping at least a dozen women at the prestigious military academy, including in a bathroom.